IDENTIFICATION OF STRUCTURES CONTAINING POLYPHOSPHATE IN HELICOBACTER-PYLORI

For the first time polyphosphate (poly P) granules have been detected in Helicobacter pylori organisms colonizing the gastric antrum as well as in organisms isolated from the same tissue. Poly P granules showed typical sublimation characteristics during exposure to the electron b eam and chipped out of ultrathin sectioning. A prominent phosphorus si gnal was identified using elemental specific electron microscopy such as electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and was localized to at le ast three different locations: the cytoplasm, the flagellar pole and i n association with the cell membrane. Intracytoplasmatic structures ha d a diameter of 0.05-0.2 mu m, whereas the structures near the flagell ar pole were much smaller (0.02 mu m). The membrane-associated phospha te aggregates were visible only after staining with Pb(NO3)(2) or with electron spectroscopic imaging (EST). Poly P granules seem to be impo rtant energy and phosphorus stores and it is thought that they partici pate in the regulation of various and distinct metabolic processes of H. pylori.